Middle-earth: Shadow of War Reviews
Despite a lacking story, the Nemesis System is still the coolest gameplay mechanic I have ever seen in a game. Fans of Shadow of Mordor will find lots to love about Shadow of War, and new fans will surely enjoy the addictive and impressive gameplay. Just don't go in expecting a canon Tolkien story.
Middle-earth: Shadow of War is a sequel perfect for the fans of the original game and fans of repetitive gameplay. They’ll love this game but they won’t be surprised at all. The combat system is really cool, the story is okay (albeit too long) but all in all Monolith took a step back as if afraid to do something new.
Review in Polish | Read full review
The Shadow of War offers a solid gameplay, a compelling concept and a much more varied setting than the previous episode, with excellent production values and an awesome soundtrack. The sequel is bigger, better and stronger, but somehow caged in a repetitive framework. The game is full of good ideas and potential, that cannot be truly fulfilled due to a storytelling without personality and a huge but boring endgame.
Review in Italian | Read full review
If you can get past the microtransactions, Shadow Wars seems set to provide a much meatier extended playtime than Shadow of Mordor ever offered. But more than anything, that's my biggest disappointment with Middle-earth: Shadow of War: Everything about it seems to come with a caveat, some small annoyance or two that you need to dig past to get to the still-very-fun game underneath. The Nemesis System is still a wonder that has yet to be replicated. The movement and combat are thrilling.
The combat system from the first game is back and still just as great.
Middle-earth: Shadow of War somehow finds a way to improve on the winning Shadow of Mordor formula and create an incredibly dense and entertaining new piece of Tolkien lore.
Middle-earth Shadow of War consistently shocked and surprised me around every corner, with every Orc betrayal, every revelatory fortress takeover, and menacing look from the Bright Lord. It gripped me in ways I certainly didn't expect having played the first game, and I'm already missing my trip through Mordor. I can't wait to see more from this excellent franchise.
Middle-Earth: Shadow of War is Lord of the Rings turned up to 11. Improving on nearly every idea from the original Shadow of Mordor game, it's a gargantuan sequel in both size and scope.
The follow-up to Shadow of Mordor is bigger in scope, but not always better than its predecessor.
The sequel boxes are generally ticked off with Shadow of War, it's bigger, better, and a touch more ambitious than Shadow of Mordor was, but there are aspects that feel somewhat dated now, and there's a lack of polish to certain controls that dilutes the fun just a smidgen. The Nemesis system remains the star, and with the addition of sieges and tribes, it's a star that burns brighter than ever.
Building upon the accomplishments of its predecessor and wielding the influence of The New Ring, Middle-earth: Shadow of War should be remembered as Talion's greatest adventure to date.
You are a merciless tornado of ruin touching down in an unforgiving world of battle and domination, and embracing that unfettered power is a joy
A huge Lord of the Rings experience that's always enjoyable, although its scale leaves it straining at the seams at times.
Middle-earth: Shadow of War might not have had the best time pre-release, but it manages to be a solid, competent follow up to 2014's Shadow of Mordor. It's a gigantic time-sink of a game that's well worth your time and attention.
Middle-earth: Shadow of War is massive, yet at the same time a prime example of a sequel that's bigger, but not necessarily any better than the original. Once again the Nemesis system shines, allowing players to forge their own unique stories, even if the game tries to do too much with it at times. Getting caught in its tangle of new systems and features can be frustrating, but there's still a great open world game here.
Shadow of War is the perfect sequel- it builds on its predecessor's strengths, improves upon its weaknesses, and makes strong, smart additions of its own, bringing it all together for an addictive and unforgettable experience.
A greatly expanded and improved action game let down by a dreadful story.
The visuals and the unnecesary endgame are the only bad things in a sequel that improves everything from the first game: the combat has been refined, the Nemesis System provides infinite stories, and the sieges contain all the epic (and more) that you'd expect from a product based in Tolkien's Legendarium.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The nemesis system shines in this unwieldy, bloated, and occasionally magnificent fantasy epic.
A textbook example of how to make a great sequel, Middle-earth: Shadow of War takes the first game's template and expands upon it in a meaningful and interesting way. The result is a follow-up that's not only a lot bigger, but it's also a lot better. It talks the talk, and yes, it also Orcs the Orc.